title: Early predictors of neurodevelopmental outcome at 12-36 months in very low-birthweight infants.
abstract: We followed-up 71 preterm survivors, 36 (50.7%) females and 35 (49.3%) males, correlating the results of neurological examinations (NE) at 40 weeks of corrected gestational age (GA) and the cerebral ultrasound (US) diagnosis with the neurodevelopmental outcome at 12-36 months of life. All 34 children with normal NE at term presented adequate neurodevelopmental outcome; these subjects have a normal US scan or a scan that is pathologic for uncomplicated hemorrhage. Of the 6 children with pathologic NE, but a normal US, 3 (50%) had a normal outcome, while 2 (34%) had mild impairments and 1 (16%) grave neurodevelopmental deficits. Of the 31 subjects with pathologic NE and US, 12 (39%) showed a normal outcome, and 6 (19%) had mild and 13 (42%) grave neurodevelopmental deficits; signs of parenchymal lesions with or without periventricular hemorrhage were particularly correlated to US. We conclude that the combination of the results of NE at 40 weeks GA and brain US are useful in early neurodevelopmental prognosis in very low-birthweight infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, C. Mondino Foundation, IRCCS, University of Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lanzi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fazzi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gerardo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ometto
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Piazza
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rondini
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D004453:Echoencephalography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009420:Nervous System / Q000254:growth & development*; D009460:Neurologic Examination